# Why do they mark up the items in mini bars SO much? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 11, 2014, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-mark-up-the-items-in-mini-bars-so-much/685843 "2014-04-11T01:56:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-mark-up-the-items-in-mini-bars-so-much/685843/61 "2014-04-14T21:40:51Z")
This thread has suddenly taken a turn towards Interesting Blvd. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-mark-up-the-items-in-mini-bars-so-much/685843/62 "2014-04-14T22:20:55Z")
> [@Una\_Persson](#): > > Hey, phasers on stun everyone, I’m not doubting her. Goodness, I’ve had plenty of propositions myself after all; being propositioned in a hotel seems plausible. It’s just odd that I’ve been on more than a thousand work trips in 14 different countries over my career of 2+ decades and I’ve not encountered such. Then again I do tend to stay in rather expensive places. You probably just didn’t know what to look for. The ladies in question are not dressed in go go boots or otherwise openly advertising. Sometimes it’s all quite subtle. In African countries where beer comes in “large” and “small” bottles, a women drinking a small beer is easily identified as being on the clock, as a small beer is the cheapest item she can order to secure her spot in the bar for the evening. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-mark-up-the-items-in-mini-bars-so-much/685843/63 "2014-04-14T22:38:28Z")
> [@Soylent\_Juicy](#): > > I read an article once about the high cost of hotel rooms. The article was actually about WiFi fees, but one quote stuck out. It was from a Delta Hotels spokesperson - she said they charge such high rates for “extras” because they figure if one can afford to stay at their hotels then they obviously don’t care about money and can afford the extra fees. Yep. If you’ve established yourself as someone who’ll pay ridiculous hotel room rates, you’re assumed to be a mark who also can be taken for outrageous charges on small stuff without protest. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-mark-up-the-items-in-mini-bars-so-much/685843/64 "2014-04-15T02:10:03Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > You probably just didn’t know what to look for. The ladies in question are not dressed in go go boots or otherwise openly advertising. > > Sometimes it’s all quite subtle. In African countries where beer comes in “large” and “small” bottles, a women drinking a small beer is easily identified as being on the clock, as a small beer is the cheapest item she can order to secure her spot in the bar for the evening. So when I always order a Diet Coke because I don’t drink… :eek: I’ve only been propositioned in a hotel once, by a client who knew damn well I was not a hooker. The reason I probably don’t get propositioned in hotels by others is because I imagine hookers don’t normally have a laptop open at their table working on PowerPoints and spreadsheets… ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-mark-up-the-items-in-mini-bars-so-much/685843/65 "2014-04-15T02:37:03Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I don’t know what country she has in mind, but in some hotels in Panama (and other countries I’ve been too) single women hanging out in the bar are frequently (in some hotels almost invariably) prostitutes. > [@pulykamell](#): > > Probably. But my experience is like **even sven** ’s. (Well, I’m a male, but I’m talking about that association.)Single woman hanging out in a hotel bar = possible prostitute is not all that unusual a connection in my travels. A lot of normal bars here will prohibit lone _Thai_ ladies from sitting in the bar, automatically assuming they’re probably prostitutes. Single farang (Western) women are okay, the assumption being they’re tourists or English teachers and such. But many of those also turn out to be Russian/Eastern European hookers. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-mark-up-the-items-in-mini-bars-so-much/685843/66 "2014-04-15T03:28:08Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > A lot of normal bars here will prohibit lone _Thai_ ladies from sitting in the bar, automatically assuming they’re probably prostitutes. Single farang (Western) women are okay, the assumption being they’re tourists or English teachers and such. But many of those also turn out to be Russian/Eastern European hookers. To build on this, it may seem obvious to you and I that Stephanie from Toledo probably didn’t travel to the Hilton in Lubumbashi to turn $20.00 tricks. But in areas where the sex trade is an every day reality and contact with the foreigner (and especially foreign women), that explanation may seem more reasonable than anything else. So even if you’ve convinced people you aren’t being trafficked by Russians, in some places you may still be seen as up for an offer. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-mark-up-the-items-in-mini-bars-so-much/685843/67 "2014-04-15T03:38:14Z")
> [@Una\_Persson](#): > > The reason I probably don’t get propositioned in hotels by others is because I imagine hookers don’t normally have a laptop open at their table working on PowerPoints and spreadsheets… No. Around here they’re usually texting on their smartphones. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-mark-up-the-items-in-mini-bars-so-much/685843/68 "2014-04-15T03:46:55Z")
> [@Skara\_Brae](#): > > That’s so funny. I used to travel for work, and I loved eating in the various hotel bars. It never once occurred to me that someone might mistake me for a prostitute. Of course, I usually ordered food and had my nose in a book as well, so maybe that helped… If you’re sitting down to a meal or have a nose in your book, it’s doubtful (I would think) that anyone would mistake you for a prostitute. But if you’re at the bar, just nursing a drink (often non-alcoholic) for awhile by yourself, that’s a reasonable sign that you might just be a hooker. Just google “hotel bar prostitute” to get an idea. It’s one of the most basic forms of prostitution, along with street walkers, call girls, and brothel prostitutes. ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-mark-up-the-items-in-mini-bars-so-much/685843/69 "2014-04-15T14:06:38Z")
On the topic of minibars…the first time I saw a weighted one was at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. The desk clerk told us not to touch anything along that bar because as soon as something is removed you automatically get charged for it. I thought that seemed like a frivolous use of technology. I mean, who thought that up? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-mark-up-the-items-in-mini-bars-so-much/685843/70 "2014-04-15T14:12:52Z")
If they have the sensors and charge you just from picking something up just tell them it’s still there when you check out. If the items aren’t there they’ll end up charging you because they have your credit card number, but I’ve never had a problem getting the items removed from the bill. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-mark-up-the-items-in-mini-bars-so-much/685843/71 "2014-04-15T14:25:02Z")
> [@Soylent\_Juicy](#): > > On the topic of minibars…the first time I saw a weighted one was at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. The desk clerk told us not to touch anything along that bar because as soon as something is removed you automatically get charged for it. I thought that seemed like a frivolous use of technology. I mean, who thought that up? That’s your chance to do an Indiana Jones. Hopefully, there isn’t a giant bowling ball hidden in the ceiling. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-mark-up-the-items-in-mini-bars-so-much/685843.md?page=3)